1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image printing system, an image printing method, an image delivery device, image printing device and corresponding programs. More specifically, the invention relates to an image printing system and an image printing method that print an image selected by a user via a communication network, an image delivery device that delivers an image selected by a user via a communication network, an image printing device that prints an image which is delivered to and edited by a user, and programs used for the image delivery device and the image printing device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A proposed image printing system enables the user to select either a home print mode that prints an image selected among multiple images by the user via the Internet with the user's own printer or a delivery print mode that prints the selected image in a printing center and receives delivery of the printed image. In response to the user's selection of the home print mode, the image printing system delivers the selected image in a size suitable for the user's printer, allows the user to edit the delivered image within the range of the copyright holder's permission, and prints the edited image with the user's computer. In response to the user's selection of the delivery print mode, on the other hand, the image printing system requests the user to enter a preset paper size and settings for editing, prints the selected image in the printing center, based on the input paper size and the input settings for editing, and delivers the resulting print.
When the user selects the delivery print mode, however, this prior art image printing system does not inform the user of the performances of the printer used for printing the selected image. The resulting print may thus not have desired picture quality. The user is also not notified of the expected time of delivery of the resulting print, since the order status in the printing center is unknown.
In the case of editing the selected image and printing the edited image in the printing center, the prior art image printing system has a potential problem that the printed image on the resulting print in the printing center may be different from the image edited by the user. A typical procedure of printing an edited image in the printing center sends only the user's settings of the editing parameters to the printing center, in order to print an image of a larger size than the size of a layout image used for editing by the user. The printing center edits an image in a suitable size for printing with the settings of the editing parameters and prints the edited image. Some communication trouble or failure or the settings for editing the image of the different size may cause the image edited in the printing center to be inconsistent with the image edited by the user.
The image printing system and the image delivery device of the invention aim to allow the user to select a desired printer for printing an image. The image printing system and the image delivery device of the invention also aim to notify the user of the current status of a selected printer for printing the image.
The image printing system, the image printing method, the image delivery device, and the image printing device of the invention aim to print an image selected and edited by the user with high reliability via a communication network. The image printing system, the image printing method, the image delivery device, and the image printing device of the invention also aim to confirm the adequacy of editing, prior to printing an image selected and edited by the user via a communication network.
The program of the invention aims to make the computer function as an image delivery device, which allows the user to select a desired printer for printing an image and notifies the user of the current status of a selected printer for printing the image. The program of the invention also aims to make the computer function as an image delivery device and an image printing device, which are used to print an image selected and edited by the user with high reliability via a communication network. The program of the invention further aims to make the computer function as an image delivery device and an image printing device, which confirm the adequacy of editing, prior to printing an image selected and edited by the user via a communication network.